Christmas for Beginners - Carole Matthews Page 0,36
help.’ He seems to be in a much better humour – I even noticed him talking to a young man of a similar age on the way round, which was nice.
‘I’ll take the ponies back up to the field.’
‘Thanks, Lucas.’ I squeeze his skinny shoulders and he doesn’t shrug me off.
He grabs all of their leads and they trot after him.
After I’ve watched him go, I turn my attention to the visitors. I’m just helping them put their animals back into their pens when I see Shelby’s Bentley pull into the farmyard. I swear to you that my heart skips a beat.
‘Can you take over, Bev?’ I ask.
‘No problem.’ She takes Laurel’s lead from my hand and ushers him into his pen.
As always, Shelby looks very debonair as he steps out of the car – every inch the television star. He’s dressed very smartly in a grey sweater and jeans. And – ahem – new shoes. I check, anxiously, to see if Betty Bad Dog is in the vicinity, but she’s not. I’m also relieved to see that he grabs a huge bunch of red roses from the back seat of his car. This must be Shelby in conciliatory mood. I leave the visitors with Bev, cleanse my hands and head towards him.
‘I’m an idiot,’ he says as I approach.
I go to open my mouth.
‘Don’t disagree,’ he says. ‘I am.’
‘Actually, I was going to agree with you.’
He gives me one of his heart-breaking smiles and holds out his roses. I take them from him with a sigh. He gives me puppy-dog eyes. ‘Does that mean I’m forgiven?’
‘You were out of order last night,’ I remind him. ‘I’m not sure that two dozen utterly beautiful roses are enough. There was no need for you to carry on as you did.’
‘I know. I’ve come with my heart in my hand to apologise.’
‘You can’t pack your case and stomp off just because things don’t go your way.’
‘I behaved like a child,’ he says. ‘Let me take you to dinner. We need some time by ourselves, away from this place, the animals, Lucas.’
He knows how difficult this is for me, but I can’t have it all my own way either. Relationships are about compromise. Having lived alone for so long, I need to keep reminding myself of this.
‘Yes. That would be nice.’
‘I’ll book somewhere special.’
I’d really rather go to the local pub and hide in the corner, away from the prying eyes and head swivellers that invariably accompany Shelby wherever he goes. But I have to meet him halfway. ‘Perfect.’
‘Where’s Lucas?’
‘Up in the field with the ponies. We’ve just had a group of walkers from a mental health charity.’
‘I thought you looked busy.’
‘It was a great success and some welcome funds too.’
‘I’ve got to head to the studio. I’ll see you later.’
‘You don’t want to speak to Lucas?’
He looks down at his brand new, expensive shoes, his immaculate jeans. ‘I’ll catch him another time.’
‘We could all go out together tonight,’ I venture. ‘A curry or something?’
‘I don’t think that would work,’ Shelby says. ‘Lucas makes it very clear that he doesn’t want me around.’
‘He does. You simply have to treat him with kid gloves.’
Shelby sighs. ‘And when does that stop? When does he accept that I’m not perfect and I’m allowed to make mistakes?’
‘In time,’ I tell him. ‘Just be patient.’
‘I’ll pick you up at seven o’clock.’
‘Can we make it a bit later?’ I ask, hesitantly. ‘I’ve got the animals to feed.’
‘Ah, yes,’ Shelby says. ‘The animals. Always the animals.’
‘They can’t order a takeaway.’ It comes out more crisply than I’d intended. ‘I’ll be ready as soon as I can.’
‘Seven-thirty,’ he says and kisses my cheek briefly before he returns to his shiny car.
I watch him drive away and clutch the roses to my chest.
Chapter Twenty-Two
‘Big gesture,’ Lucas says when he sees the rather large bouquet of roses in my rather small vase.
‘We’re going out to dinner tonight too,’ I say.
‘He’s still a knob.’
‘Your dad’s under a lot of pressure.’
‘He’s a fucking actor in a third-rate soap. How much pressure can that be? I talked to a kid today who’s been thinking of topping himself. My dad has no idea about anything in the real world.’
I don’t want to get into an argument with Lucas about it and, if I’m honest with you, a small part of me agrees with him. There are people with bigger problems to deal with.